After the Great Battle at the Battle Frontier
by Lucky Undine
Summary: Silver's story. A one-shot about Silver for Silver's birthday, December 24th.


**A f t e r~t h e~G r e a t~B a t t l e~a t~t h e~B a t t l e~F r o n t i e r**

**S i l v e r ' s~S t o r y**

You know it's over when you see it happen. But the Mask of Ice never believed that fact. Even when he was revealed to be Pryce, the eldest of the Johto gym leaders, he continued his evil plan and nearly took with him one of my allies to the grave. Afterwards, I was never sure if Pryce still wished to continue doing wrong when he was locked up.

My father, Giovanni, was no different. Although I was never around when he first tried taking over Kanto, I have heard stories from my seniors, and I have a right to believe them. They told me many terrible, but true things about my father, and after my experience meeting with him, I would have to agree. He could've killed us all with Deoxys, but at the same time, he could've saved us too. In the end, though, it was myself and my fellow seniors who were all turned to stone.

I thought I'd never get out. I was still conscious while petrified, and could hear everything that was said in the world outside my confined space. At last, when it seemed like the end was nigh, my fellow seniors and I were released from our stony prison, thanks to some of our minors and a couple of my other allies. Together, we fought against the evil known as Archie, previous leader of Team Aqua, and prevailed. It was all over, at last.

In the end, I never thought I'd see my father again. But lo, it seemed as though he were welcoming me! Ready to extend his fatherly arms towards me, asking me to live with him. But I was wrong, very wrong. He immediately took hold of me, and with his firm grasp he tarnished me with a black jumpsuit, with a big red "R" in the middle. He then placed a black cap that reminded me of a beret on my head, and told me I was to be a part of Team Rocket. I harshly denied his request, but he placed his rough hand around my neck and squeezed it softly, as if planning to choke me. His hot breath lashed against my face as he told me I had no other option, except for death. I couldn't risk giving up what I called "life", so I reluctantly joined him.

Team Rocket carried out their plans more swiftly than I thought they would. It seemed as if my father had made many changes since his last plot to take over Kanto. Yet this time, he seemed to target Johto, where I had grown up, as well. Muttering softly in my ear, he told me something about going with him to Johto to possibly take over as "Prince of Darkness" with him as the "Chaos Overlord". I found the titles absolutely absurd, but my son-of-a-bitch father would never listen to a "problem child" like me. That name only stuck due to my ill behavior in the past; I had changed, and my father knew it. But he was **Giovanni**, leader of Team Rocket. There was no chance he'd ever pay any attention to whatever thoughts I wished to share.

New Bark Town. Nostalgia, if you ask me. I looked over towards the building that the Professor Elm worked in, and recalled the day I broke in and took the Totodile from where it was. I soon began to collect more and more powerful Pokemon, much like the Sneasel I had to begin with. There were so many memories of this simple, picturesque town, and yet there was so much to lose. My father looked in my direction, and said in that gruff voice of his something about heading towards Goldenrod, to break into the radio tower's recording station and do a live broadcast on our plot. I really began to think he was losing it, but at the same time, I couldn't help but feel proud for him. My father was quite a cunning, headstrong man, and no one could deny it.

Things began getting rough. My father took control of all the battle stations and positioned me in Violet City, where an acquaintance of mine, Crystal, came from. A few minutes later I found myself just above the city in one of my father's private jets (I never saw the point of those; we could've just used a Pokemon), ready to skydive down. I was absolutely unsure that I was going to make it, but, as if a force from above protected me, I landed peacefully into Violet's murky waters. Feeling blessed, I turned to my father and told him how I thought this was all wrong. My father proceeded to yell at me, and at once sent out his Nidoqueen, as if willing to challenge me for all this. In response, I called out my Sneasel, the first Pokemon I ever had, and we began the battle.

My father, being Giovanni, was quite the contender. His Nidoqueen struck faster than I thought with powerful blows at my Sneasel, and I thought all would be lost. Just then, my Sneasel counter-attacked with a couple ice moves, and in a few minutes, my father's Nidoqueen fell. He got a furious look on his face, and began yelling at me uncontrollably, calling me "useless" and "helpless without him". I could no longer take such verbal abuse! I had to do something about it!

I retorted, telling him how pathetically evil he was, and how there was really no purpose for any of this. It looked like he was ready to yell again, but this time I was prepared. I said to him "Pryce was a better father than you'll ever be!" and he stopped. He stared at me in silence, recalling how it was Pryce, the previous gym leader of Mahogany Town, who had kidnapped me with Ho-oh and had taken me in. He stared at me for a few more minutes, and it looked as if he were about to cry. I sighed, and walked away without a sound, leaving my "father" behind.

I sought out Crystal's house, and she told me that she felt sorry for Giovanni after explaining my story to her. I asked her why she felt this way, and she told me that even though what he was doing was wrong, it was even more wrong for me to have said such an awful thing to him. I thought it over, and regretted ever saying it to him. It could just start another war, after all. I asked Crystal what to do, and she said that I could stay with her until I felt like returning home to my…_father_…

A couple months passed. Soon, December twenty-third came around, and Crystal suggested it would be a perfect time to go home. "But it would take a day to get there," I remarked. She said then it would be perfect, and I began my long trek home. I could've used Murkrow to get me there, or I could've gone up to Goldenrod and taken their metro, but I had this undesirable urge to walk. It was almost daybreak when I got to Viridian. I saw my father quietly sitting just outside our home, as if waiting for me. He seemed to have noticed me, for her got up and walked inside. A bad feeling coming over me, I followed him in. When I knocked on the door, he opened it and let me in without a word.

As soon as I got into the living room, presents were all spread out, and it seemed as though every important Rocket member was here. I looked at my father with a confused look, and he quietly said, "Happy Birthday, Silver." My birthday! How could I have forgotten such an important day? I gave my father a quick hug, and started the day off by celebrating.

Hours passed. My day went splendidly well. I almost felt like crying, but I refrained from doing so. I learned much these past months, and it was not only thanks to Crystal, but also to my father, who truly does care for me. Happy birthday to whoever celebrates their birthday on Christmas Eve, and happy holidays to everyone across the world. May our hearts be filled with joy and peace…


End file.
